Rv2: Combusting Hearts
by KittyoftheNight
Summary: Questions? My name? Elaine Conners, AKA Nova. My life? Let's just call it a living hell and be done with it. Why? Well, this is where I let you in on a little secret. I'm not a level 3 and I've spent the majority of my life on the run. Problem is, I'm tired of running, tired of crying, tired of the loneliness that never ceases. It's time to live. OFCxGamit. Logan friendship.
1. Ch 1: They Call Me Freak

**A/N: Okay, so some may or may not be familiar with the title of this story. Its something that I originally created a handful of years ago. I've now decided to revamp it and cross it between both the movie and the comics to make it more accessible to others. Certain parts of the original with eventually pop up, the better parts, but I've decided to also rework and add a lot of things instead of just 'fixing' issues in writing. I want to better develop my character along with other interactions that she may have. I've had a lot of time to hone my writing skills over the years as I have finally graduated college with the addition of a minor in creative writing. I really do hope that everyone likes the reinstated story and continues to follows along as before. If anyone wished to read the old version, then they are more than welcome, but as I've said, a lot of things will be changed as I realized far too many issues along with that of rushed time line. Please, let me know what you think with REVIEWS and MESSAGES. IDEAS ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED. Thank you and enjoy. -Kitty**

 **Redone: Combusting Hearts**

 **Chapter 1**

 **They Call Me Freak**

" _In recent news, rumors of an underground mutant group has arisen_."

I sat there, cup of tea in hand as I listened to the news caster's spiel. It was the first time in over a month that I'd dared to step foot inside a local establishment outside of the occasion supermarket. I here to hopefully gain intel. Recently, other mutants in the area had been causing problems. I wasn't much better. One of the gangs had dug their claws in long ago, a poison that seem to taint the veins of my soul. As loath as I was to admit it, they were the only reason I could afford to put food on the table. It started out as small things, distraction here, see if I could melt this there. If they got me mad enough, I'd blow open a door for them. Most things were technically an indirect reaction on my part, my gift temperamental as I really had no desire to learn its limitations or use of application. Sometimes it was easier just to take my contacts out and have that be the end of it. On occasion, that yielded enough of a distraction to warrant a run.

" _Eye witnesses describe a group of seven individuals, gender and ethnicity ranging…"_

I rolled my eyes as I sipped at my cup, wincing as I scratched a spot at the back of my neck. I grimaced as I glanced at my nails, the free edge stained red and the freshly sealed scab clinging to my skin. One after the other they'd been chipped all week. My mistake had been letting them convince me to climb the side of a warehouse. I was left to scope out a possible hit. It must have been some sort of drug pick up or at least that was my personal theory. Not that they'd ever tell me upfront. I was just a pawn in their plans. I lost track the number of times I had to take a file to my nails just to keep from slicing my skin. Really, they weren't even that sharp. I'd seen worse on one of the guys in the group that I occasionally ran with. He actually had nails or claws I guess you could say, followed by the green of his skin. Mine were thin, leaving them sharp and easily caught.

Wiping it on my jeans I closed my eyes, muscles still sore as I listened carefully to the chatter around me. In the corner there were a group of men, five of them, each with their own opinion as they sat eating their lunch. They'd been there for over an hour now, the realization putting me on edge a bit. Most didn't stay that long and I'd become paranoid at times over the years. Toward the front of the small diner sat a young family, a man and a woman with a child of around four or five, I couldn't be sure. She was a pretty little thing though, mid-length dark hair, with soft baby curls that bounced when she giggled at one of the faces her father had been making for the last half hour. Two tables down from there sat two women, features similar. Sisters perhaps. One's hair was streaked purple, the other's hair dark with blond highlights.

"… _vandalism of property within the area suggests…"_

"Can you believe that guy? I mean, Jim actually gave the kid a job."

"Hey, its not that bad," one of the men over in the corner said. "Kid's quiet, stays out of the way. I think he really does just wanna learn."

"… _conspirators…"_

"Do you like that Penny?"

Another drink as I sat there, lightly tapping my fingers against the countertop as laugher echoed, the cup keeping my half-gloved hand warmed from the chill in the air. It was a little chilly for spring in this area, but who was I to judge. I never really stayed in one place that long as is, my mind slowly drifting to different days. That was when I had even less control, confusing my mind while simultaneously scaring the ever-living shit out of myself. Emotions had never truly been my friend. It was the reason why I'd been expelled a couple of times back in school, the system giving up once I'd come of age. They'd kicked me out in a heartbeat, the government no longer seeing an obligation to shelter me as I was deemed an adult in their eyes. I suppose it was better that way, no longer was I tied to a family, a group of individuals that would have rather gouged out their own eyes than have a mutant in their home. Don't get me wrong, they weren't all bad, but I could only ever stay in one place for a few months at a time without incident. It was better to stay indifferent, distance myself from anything that would affect me in an unwelcomed way. Doing that kept me safe. Well, safer anyway. Sometimes though it didn't really make a difference. If I blew, I blew, and there was nothing that _anyone_ could do about it.

"Of course, she does, Joe. I mean, you're making a fool of yourself, so why wouldn't she laugh?"

I tried not to smile, blinking as I ran a hand through my hair.

"Think they saw anything?"

It was the two women, eyes flitting around the room as they spoke in hushed voices.

"Oh, don't give me that shit. You haven't gone near him all freakin' day!"

Discreetly, I glanced toward the men at the back, trying to tune everything out as they continued to talk about the young man.

"His eyes freak me out a little, okay?" he admitted. "Doesn't mean he's a bad kid, I just…"

"You guys are pathetic."

"… _menace to society…"_

It was obvious they were talking about a mutant, details coming out as they spoke, not really caring if anyone else in the diner heard them. Apparently, the kid wanted to try his hand in construction, this particular crew a bit on edge due to that fact. Sounded as though he'd been there for about a week maybe. He was strong.

" _It's terrible, just terrible I tell you! They've been skulking around my complex for weeks. No doubt they're planning something. No good scoundrels. All a bunch of freaks and degenerates. Okay Ma'am, I think we…"_

I scoffed as the sound of the TV made its way to my ears.

"Bullshit," I muttered. "Complete and utter bullshit."

I knew the place they were showing on the small screen. It wasn't far from here, about five blocks south toward the edge of town. Some liked to call it a 'cesspool for muties'. God I hated that term.

"Something wrong?"

I turned my gaze forward, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Pardon?"

I looked at the man in front of me, the one that had served me my food and drink. He had short somewhat shaggy brown hair, eyes dark as he stared down at me. Had the look on his face been different, I may have called him halfway good looking with that nicely squared jaw and the stubble that rested there. That wasn't the case though as I sat my cup down, locking my gaze with his, and folding my hands in front of me momentarily.

"I said, something wrong?" he asked against, hands pressed against the counter.

"Nope, no problem."

"You sure?"

His eyes trailed to the flat screen against the wall. He was hinting at something obviously. Or at least he thought he was.

"Nope. Just minding my own business. Trying to anyway. Got too many stupid friends."

I gestured to the phone in my lap, holding it up between my fingertips as I let it dangle there. It was deader than a doornail, but he didn't know that. I'd made it a habit to keep the thing with me, using it as an easy escape if I found something I didn't agree with. It was easier to pawn things off on an idiot 'friend' than it was to allow myself to admit my own opinion on things.

"Sorry if you thought there was one."

With that, I took another drink, shoving a cold French Fry in my mouth. This seemed to somewhat sedate his questioning gaze as I 'tapped' at the screen, pretending to type out a message.

"Man, Johnny's a moron," I laughed, shaking my head absently.

Yep, as long as I played the part, I was good. Or at least that's what I thought anyway.

xXx

Run. All I had to do was keep running, my feet pounding against the pavement as I tried to keep ahead of the group that they'd sent after me. Lyko's plan had failed terribly, the brains behind the operation. It was supposed to be a simple in and out job. Nothing to worry about. We'd scouted the placed for over a week. I knew the layout, the number of 'civilians', when the shifts changed. A few more runs and I was supposed to be let loose to do my own thing, live my own life. Instead, it was as if they'd been waiting for me.

I flinched as I heard a crack, cursing under my breath as they missed, hitting a nearby building instead. Brick crumbled and dust settled in the air. A handgun no doubt as the bullet embedded itself in the wall.

"This way!"

I caught sight of one of the others at the end of the corner, blue hair radiating in the dim light. They disappeared seconds later, phasing out of sight. If only it were that simple, then I never would have landed in this mess. They should have left it to Veil instead of me. She was the easy in and out on jobs like this. No one ever saw her.

"Why _wasn't_ it Veil?"

My foot caught and I stumbled, catching myself.

"Damn it," I hissed, shoving off the ground.

I gripped the corner of the building as I turned down the street, sliding passed a random couple as I tried to catch my breath. It only took another three blocks and I froze, limbs seizing up, breath caught in my throat.

"Wha…

I didn't understand. This didn't make any sense. They didn't. They couldn't have.

xXx

Charles was going about his usual rounds as he wheeled around the basement. He'd already been upstairs, the school day finished for the day's session. As a result, he didn't have any classes at the moment. His ethics class had finished up earlier that morning, the students trailing to their next class once the bell had sounded. Stilling his hands, he came to a stop outside of Cerebro. The gears inside whirred around before him and a panel opened. With practiced ease, he lined himself up, blinking momentarily as a small light shot forward and over his eye. It was a retinal scan that he had set in place to keep wandering students at bay. It was safer that way. One more thing that he didn't have to worry about.

"Hello, Professor."

The voice was automated and hollow. Only so much he could do to remedy that he supposed.

"Thank you Cerebro," he voiced quietly, allowing the doors to close behind him as he wheeled himself inside. "Now, why don't we take a look at things."

The moment the metal helmet when on, lights exploded in front of him. Before him was a giant map spanning the Earth. It was a mess of white and red lights, the colors signifying humans and mutants alike. Slowly, he pushed away the humans, the white lights disappearing. It allowed him to concentrate on locating the mutants. There were just as many in numbers, the lights lighting up equal space within his field of vision as his mind narrowed in on different states. At first, he concentrated a little closer to home. He'd been looking in on several mutants recently, keeping an eye on things.

He'd found a shifter up in Maine recently, a young man of around 22. His name was Hal Davidson. He seemed to have a decent hold on his powers, experimenting with the different shapes he could take. Charles was thinking of sending someone out to him next week in hopes of talking. Perhaps even bring him back to the mansion if he was at all willing.

There was another for which he'd been keeping tabs on. This one was up around Michigan, living at the water's edge. She had an affinity to water, her ability changing her genetic makeup and allowing her to breathe under water among other things. She was around 17, also coming to have a rather decent grip on her power, but had a penchant for pulling pranks. She'd gotten into trouble several times with her parents as a result of this, but nothing of danger that would pose an issue to her safety.

Milling around, he skimmed the rest of the states one by one. He was about half way through when a bright light suddenly exploded in front of him. The red light hadn't been as apparent before, the intensity making him wince momentarily. It was in Oklahoma, the image becoming far larger as he pushed his concentration. He filled with a sense of fear as he latched on, a prick of pain tingling against his nerves. Before him was the image of a woman in her early to mid-twenties if he had to take a guess, her emotions becoming sporadic at best, shooting off all over the place as her mind screamed out. He could sense her fear, traces of confusion, hurt, betrayal. She'd been tricked and put in an all too precarious position. The problem with all of this was the tremor of power that manifested.

 _Please._

The image was almost static like as her energy levels began to spike. He knew in his heart that he had to help her before something irreversible happened. Pulling his helmet from his head, he placed it back onto the pedestal before him, carefully reaching out with his mind.

 _Logan, Storm, Scott. Meet me in the hanger and have the jet ready, we're leaving now._

He spoke through his mind as he quickly wheeled himself out of the room and down the hall, throwing out a few more orders. He knew that he had to hurry, otherwise, people were going to get killed.


	2. Ch 2: First Contact

**Redone: Combusting Hearts**

 **Chapter 2**

 **First Contact**

Several years prior

I hated playing this little game every day. I absolutely hated it. Every day was the same old bullshit, a dance with my sanity as I tried keeping my emotions in check. Everyone else had it easy, living their normal lives and going to school. I tried doing the same, forcing a smile on my face every time that I passed my foster mother or the students at school, but it just kept getting harder. It's been the same thing since I was 12 years old. That was when I found out how truly different and out of place I was. How truly dangerous I was.

"Elaine!"

I winced as Karen yelled at me from downstairs. She was my current caregiver, my foster parent as they had dubbed her. I already knew what she wanted, but opened my door anyway out of frustration.

"What!?" I yelled.

"I want you out of this house now! Otherwise, you'll be late for school!" she shouted.

I sighed, slipping my shoes on, and grabbing my bag. I through my jacket on quickly, and then ran downstairs, and out the door.

You'd think that she'd take me to school, but no, I had to walk. The lady wouldn't even consider letting me in her car, in fear that it may explode or catch fire. Yeah, that's right, she knows about my powers. Heck, if she had it her way, I wouldn't even be in her house. We basically got stuck with each other, much to her dismay. I was actually surprised when I had been placed in her care. I actually figured that someone would have tried to lock me up by now, but apparently, there must have been someone seeing to it that I wasn't thrown into confinement. Vaguely, I wondered if that would have been a better course of action for my life.

Normally, mutants like me don't last long inhumane society. Most of the time, we're locked up and put away out of sight of the 'sane' community. As far as I go, I've near been in any one particular foster home for longer than 6 months. Most times, it's less than that. Finding people to take me in is even harder, half of them not having a choice as they were forced to. To them, I was their worst nightmare and ultimate fear. They were always afraid that I'd end up burning the house down or that they'd end up dead and burnt to a crisp. I mean, it's not my fault that I can't control my powers. Trust me, I've tried. Even other mutants that were in homes around me were terrified of me, so that basically shot down any ideas I ever had of trying to make friends.

I let out a long sigh as I looked up, standing in front of the place that I considered a daily hell, besides my life that is. Rolland High School, one of _my_ worst nightmares. Luckily, when I turned 18 in a couple months, I was free. They could release me from the system and it'd be my choice if I wanted to continue school. It didn't help that I'd been held back a year, leaving me at Junior status due to problems with being moved around so much. A couple of times, the family I was with would try homeschooling me to keep me out of the public eye. That only worked so well. Currently, it was mandated that I go to school, but that wasn't saying much. If I really wanted to, I could probably just run off somewhere and no one would even care.

I was almost passed the fronts gates when it hit me, a hard leather pigskin colliding with the back of my head. The thing had nearly knocked me on my ass, before tumbling down to the ground at my feet, a few passersby snickering as they went.

"Hey, watch it!" I yelled, holding the back of my head that had just come in contact with the thrown football.

I turned to find one of the jocks standing there, a look of amusement on his face as his buddies laughed. It was like they didn't have anything better to do other than torment people. Normally, it was the nerds that they picked on, but today they decided to broaden their horizons. They probably did it on purpose too, which meant that their ball was going to be a hunk of purposely melted leather, my hands lighting up in irritation.

"My football!" the largest one yelled, completely outraged at what I had just done.

"I could say the same about my head buddy," I said irritably.

He just glared at me as I tossed the ruined heap back at him, before shouting, anger in his voice.

"Freak!"

I froze on the spot, my brows furrowing faintly, a hint of water building at the corner of my eyes in irritation. Freak. That's what they always seemed to call me. I'm a freak of nature and I knew that. I was a freak with powers that they can't control, the oddity normally confusing me while simultaneously scaring the ever-living shit out of me as well. God, why couldn't I just be expelled from this school like the last one? At least then I'd be done. I didn't want to be around people anyway as it pressed at my anxiety and overall self-esteem.

"I wish I could just leave this place," I whispered to myself as I watched everyone else enter the school.

I soon followed everyone else, entering the building, and going to my classroom. The moment that I walked into the room, all eyes were on me, and me alone. I'd been gone for a week and everyone knew why. I'd gotten into a fight with someone the week previous and apparently, the teachers didn't care for it very much. The sad part is, it wasn't even over me. I'd found a couple of the jocks ganging up on another mutant and I'd just snapped. No one in this school liked me at all to begin with really and I'd just gone and made things worse once again.

I could hear the whispers as I sat down in my seat, trying to ignore everything, and pretend that it didn't bother me. It would always bother me though because I felt like I didn't belong. I didn't actually have a place to be like everyone else.

"There's the freak again. Ugh, she's so weird," a blonde muttered, trying to whisper to one of her friends while picking at her nails.

"Yeah, you'd think she'd have enough brains not to come around here. She should have just been expelled altogether for what she did. They're all freaks anyway, no matter how you look at it."

"I know. I mean, and that _hair_? Seriously? You'd think she'd know not to try and draw further attention to herself. Then again, I'd like to know how she got it so bright. Is that natural for _them_?"

I just sat there, my hands balling up as I tried to contain myself. I was actually glad when the teacher walked in, silencing everyone. He was a little more lenient toward people like me, but only a little. There was only so much that he could do as a teacher. Especially, when he was the only one that cared to try and make things fair. There was a lot of people that didn't really care for people like me. Most were scared because they didn't understand us. It was also the reason that I had to wear colored contacts. There was no way that anyone would let me walk around the school if they knew what I really looked like. Funny enough, it had been a recommendation by one of my tutors in middle school, the idea sticking with me to this very day.

"Sorry, I'm late everyone. I had trouble getting my car started this morning," Mr. Kenton said, placing his planner and teachers book on his desk. "Now, today we're going to be pairing up in partners to begin our review for tomorrows test. I want you to partner up with the person beside you and start with the flash cards that _all_ of you should have made last night. Now, get started," he said, sitting down in his chair, quickly going to work at trying to grade papers.

I watched as the girl that was _supposed_ to be my partner raised her hand after a few moments of silence, her eyes darting around the room as she poked one of her friends in the arm.

"Mr. Kenton?" she asked, earning his attention.

"What is it Angela?" he questioned, glancing back down at his papers for a moment as he tried to organize them.

"Can I please go use the restroom?" she asked sweetly.

"You should have used it before coming to class," he said.

I grinned at his answer, biting down on the edge of my lip. I mean, did she really think that he would fall for that line of shit?

"But it's that time of the month again, sir," she said.

My face fell as I watched him shift uncomfortably. The one response that no male teacher can say no to and she had to go and pull it. I knew for a fact that she'd had her last period almost a week and a half ago because she and her little friends could never shut up. Apparently, the 'flow' had been rather strong that time around.

Shifting and pulling at the collar of his shirt, Mr. Kenton coughed into his hand, before holding out a bathroom pass that he'd pulled from his drawer. He didn't even try to dispute her answer, too uncomfortable to even try.

"Please, hurry up then," he said.

She simply turned to me with a sly smile as she got up and snatched the pass from him. She also took her purse, which was the only thing of hers in the room. I rolled my eyes, knowing that she wasn't going to be coming back any time soon.

Minutes later, I saw one of her friends texting oh so _discreetly_ underneath her desk. She looked down at her phone and stifled a laugh, turning to her partner and speaking in a hushed tone.

"She's _so_ not coming back to class. I swear, that was absolute pure genius," she laughed, making sure that Mr. Kenton didn't hear her. "She's probably going to fake a stomach ache so she can go home."

I groaned as I placed my head in my arms. I give up on even trying this class today as a result. What was even the point if I didn't even have anyone to study with? I didn't even have any flash cards because I'd been gone from class for several days. Yeah, I knew most of the material, but that didn't mean that testing results would be perfect.

I don't even think that 5 minutes passed, before I felt something hit me in the back of the head, the object bouncing off and onto my desk. I looked down to find a crumpled piece of paper with writing on it, picking it up and pealing it apart. My eyes narrowed as I read what it said, irritation washing over me within mere seconds.

 _Hey Freak, how's studying coming!_

I let out a small growl of annoyance, before tearing it into tiny pieces upon my desk, glaring back at the one that I knew had likely thrown it. They were trying to pretend like nothing happened, the moron biting down on their finger to keep from laughing. Deciding to just pull a book out of my bag, I went about reading instead. I didn't feel like putting with the crap. I knew that all they wanted was a reaction out of me, so I tried not to give them what they were looking for. Even then, I still continued to get things thrown at me discreetly, only ending up in torn up shreds at the foot of my desk. Such a waste of a tree, it really is a crime.

By the time that class was over, I'd managed to read the first two chapters of my book. It was a compilation of short stories from different authors. All of them were fantasy oriented though and that's all that truly mattered to me. The moment I heard the bell, I grabbed up my stuff and exited the room. I was reminded of the only good thing about me being a mutant. It was the fact that in the hallway, most people move out of my way.

It was normally always like this. No one wanted to be near me, too scared of possibly being contaminated or something stupid like that. A good portion were just disgruntled and unsure. They didn't like people that were different than them. This left me with no friends of my own. No one was here for me, no one stood up for me, no one cared about me. I could die tomorrow and no one would ever shed a tear or whisper a bittersweet word or verse of sorrow. There was absolutely nothing here for me at all. They were in their own little worlds, their own little cliques and secret societies, and that's all that really mattered to them. If I could just reign in my emotions, I might have been okay, but over the years, people had seen too many things. As a result, once something happened, the image stuck. That was why I have moved around so much.

A few hours later, the same thoughts were going through my head. The end of the day was no exception. It actually made them worse because I was surrounded by a crowd, people lumping themselves together outside of the school building. It made me uncomfortable, watching everyone milling around, almost like ants though with far less coordination. It made me feel claustrophobic almost.

"Watch it freak," one guy said as he shoved passed me.

"Miss Connors!"

I nearly jumped as I turned around. I was surprised to find Mr. Kenton standing there. The guy looked a little out of place, his tie being pulled loose since the school day was over.

"Do you mind if we talk for a moment?" he asked, his messenger bag in hand as he held it by the handle.

"Um, sure?"

"I just wanted to let you know that what you did last week was admirable," he said, shifting his bag onto his shoulder. "You also have a lot of potential for your future Miss Connors."

I scoffed when he said this, trying not to roll my eyes. I didn't want to be too disrespectful. Especially, since the man had been nothing less than kind to me.

"Now, don't give me that look," he chastised. "I know what other people think, but that doesn't matter."

"Look, I'm a freak and I know it, okay?" I sighed. "I have no future. Every time I turn around, something happens and I either end up in a new school or a new home. I don't even know what the point of this is anymore."

"Look, Elaine," he sighed, running his hand through his hair as he tried to make a point. "You have options," he told me. "I've seen your grades and they're far from average. You're a smart kid despite what you have to go through. If you really wanted to, you could still go to college and make something for yourself."

"What's the point though? They'd never take me anyway. I'm a liability," I reminded him.

"That's not true. Look," he sighed. "I have to go, but keep what I said in mind. If you really wanted to, you could test out of Junior year and get through Senior. There are ways of getting around it. If you change your mind, let me know and I'll see what I can do."

With that, I watched as he walked away, a frown on my face. How could he be so positive when everyone else was so negative and degrading? How was it even possible?

Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts from my mind and started home, a faint feeling of dread washing over me. It was going to be one of those days.

xXx

Present

Before I could process what was happening I felt the rigidness of cement biting into my skin, the echo of boots as my head made contact with the ground. I blinked warily as my vision twisted, the figure closest to me sliding in and out of view as my eyes attempted to refocus. I admit, it was half-assed, but when you crack your head on something like that its to be expected.

"So, this is the mutie, huh?"

I groaned at the sound of the man's voice. It was rough, gravely even as he spoke. I imagined him to be the type that played the muscle of the ground, easily amplifying the gruffness that he would no doubt exude.

"I _hate_ that word…" I grunted, wincing as I moved to roll over.

I paused though as I felt a wetness trailing my arm, a wave of confusion washing over me as I tried almost in vain to focus. It was hot as I pulled my other hand back, squinting my eyes in an attempt to make sense of it. I realized the wetness was blood, if possible, the color even darker in the current light. I wasn't used to seeing myself bleed. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why I was bleeding though, at least, not until I saw the gun in their hand. The very same gun was now aimed at my head, hand on the trigger as they held it steady, not a single tremor escaping as they stood there.

"Man, this is too easy."

I turned my head at the sound of the additional voice, my head nearly spinning as I tried to keep it in check.

"Wonder how much we could get for her?"

That was three, the clicking of a blade meeting my ears. Switchblade. The knife itself to my knowledge was illegal to use which told me that these guys didn't really care for the law. They weren't your average everyday guys that walked the streets, the guys that held their wives close and dotted on their children in public. They weren't walking around dressed in a suit and tie, briefcase in hand as they shuffled to work in the morning, happy for a normal day at the office.

"Four maybe five. They're looking for specimens."

"Latest is sssssssix, actually."

I froze, my heart skipping a beat as I felt the first tremor run through my bones. I admit I was scared and unsure at first, but that didn't quite cover it at the moment. I felt a spark run through me, a sting of sorts, followed by a tingling that made its way to each of my fingers. It jolted my nerves, stabbed at my heart, and damn near set me on fire.

"Seth-"

I was cut off as something cracked me in the back of the head, my vision swarming once more. I could feel the sting in my eyes, face heating up as I tried to force the words from my throat.

"Did I sssssay you could ssssspeak?"

I cringed as I felt him grab hold of my hair, my hat long gone. Sprigs fell free from its tie, streaks of red and near violet nearly resonating within the light. They'd told me long ago to cut it, but I never listened, regretting it as he held tight near the scalp.

"Why!?"

My lips twitched as I spoke, trembling as anger started to boil beneath the skin. It was true I realized, I'd been set up. They were never really going to let me walk away. At least not with my head still attached. I was screwed the second I'd walked through the door. The moment I knew their faces, I was forever condemned.

"Did you really think that thissssss would be your lasssssssst job?" Seth asked, lips pulled back as he showed his teeth, each pearl white sharp and gleaming with the promise of death.

"Lying bastard," I growled out, spitting on his face.

He hissed before backhanding me, claws catching the side of my face. I gasped, feeling the same hot warmth from before as it dripped from my chin. He'd caught me deliberately in order to push his point.

"You know, we can ssssssstill go back to the way thingssss were?" he said offhandedly, wiping his face of my spit.

I tried not to laugh as it smeared across his scales, the surface glistening.

"Really, you jussssssst have to do asss you're told. That'ssssss all."

"You should really listen to him Konchina."

I could feel something snap inside of it. That name.

"That's not my name!" I screamed, leaping forward, static cracking along my arms.

I despised it, that name, that symbol. Demise. That's what it meant, originally meant as a halfhearted joke when they'd brought me on not long after the incident at the school. There had been a man from the 'old country' as someone had put it, a man from Russia. He was a mutant as well, come to speak with our group about some sort of trade. He'd called me that after the fact and for a long time it stuck. I hated it, not liking the fact that I could be seen as a weapon. Occasionally, he'd call me Drobilka; Crusher. His presence was rare though and outside of the name, often forgot. Though when he was in the area, he kept his eye on me as though fascinated by something. I never understood why.

"Are you ssssssssure about that?"

Hot tears flooded my eyes, leaking as I felt that same tingling sensation rise. It cracked in my ears, resonating as it seemed to creep along my skin, bright red webs of volatile power. It felt like my very body was vibrating, trembling.

"Looksssssssss pretty accurate to me… Koncccccccchina."

"S-shut up!"

The pressure moved and with it the ground, debris flying as my anger took hold. They ducked, laughing for some reason or another, but I didn't find it all that funny. No, it only served to anger me further, hands shaking as I threw my right forward.

"Shut up!"

The corner of the building closest was blown free, brick crumbling, leaving behind a cloud of dust. Vaguely, I could hear the area around me moving, the laughter I heard pushing it from my mind.

"Why don't we _up_ the charge a bit," one said.

I could hear the hammer being pulled back, but I didn't truly register it, eyes bleeding red. I was going to blow him to pieces and in the end, I wouldn't feel sorry about it. I wouldn't care. In fact, I'd be happy about it. All it would take would be a bit of force, a flick of the wrist, he'd be a splatter on the ground.

 _Don't do it, they're baiting you!_

I felt my hand still suddenly, power jolting. It didn't stop, but I felt a trace of clarity breaking through my mind as everything else around me seem to freeze.

 _Please? It would only be giving into what he wants._

Who? Was I losing it? Perhaps I was about to die and some greater force was speaking to me in hopes of letting me die with a clear conscience.

 _They pushed you here for their own end game._

"Please?"

I could feel myself falter, eyes focusing on what was in front of me. There, in a wheelchair sat a man, two others behind him.

"That man lured you here under false pretense as a means of carrying out his own plan. To push you far enough to level this area, to kill another, only to end many."

As I listened to his words I felt something break. Something deep inside as I realized I'd once again been manipulated and I hadn't even realized it. Turning toward Seth I opened my mouth, but no words fell free as I stared at his frozen form, his eyes fierce and unforgiving. Still, I couldn't figure out how this man knew. How could he possibly?

It was then that I felt the rage inside me return, tears streaming exposed skin as I gripped the sides of my head. I cried, screamed even. People, innocent people had been placed in harm's way for the agenda of another, a man twisted with his own anger and sense of self-worth. Here I was, ripe for the picking and no one would ever be the wiser to the truth, and that would be my legacy.

"Scott! Logan!"

 **A/N: Okay, so** **Konchina** **or** **кончина** **, means DEMISE. The 'ch' sounds like 'sh'. It actually sounds like Kon-sheen-a.** **Drobilka** **or** **дробилка** **, means CRUSHER. These names will come into play later. If you'd like to hear what they sound like, google translate is amazing. Language itself is amazing actually. Anyway, have fun and I hope you're enjoying it. Number 3 will be out soon, so please, if you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to lay them on me. Even the smallest things can spark greatness. And a BIG thanks to an old pal** **Momohart** **for sparking part of the new line up!**


	3. Ch 3: Serum

**Redone: Combusting Hearts**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Serum**

 _The sound of water. It was simple, familiar even, something I knew. It ran from the faucet, a vision of long dark hair before me as I turned my head forward. Vaguely, I realized words were making their way to my ears, the sound like white noise at first as I continued to concentrate on the sound of water as it hit the sink and ran down the drain. How similar it was to my sanity._

"… _ney…k?"_

 _I blinked, the fog slowly rising. I turned to the side, eyes dialing in on the person that spoke. I opened my mouth, the name I was looking for dancing on the tip of my tongue like fire. My throat went dry and I reached forward, afraid it was a dream._

" _Dad?"_

 _He smiled his usual smile, before ruffling my hair and taking a seat beside me, a newspaper in his hand._

" _Morning, Peanut," he greeted. "I see you're still working on school work? Good for you."_

 _I looked down at the papers in front of me. I frowned, trailing a hand over the sheets, before gawking. I gapped as I looked at my hand, nails chewn and paint chipped. I hadn't worn polish in years, the feeling almost foreign. I sat there for a moment, carefully picking free a layer of bright shining blue. It was a blue frosted metallic color, something that I hadn't dared touch again. I couldn't figure out why I was wearing it. It just didn't make sense._

" _Elaine?"_

 _Again, I blinked, turned forward. The woman at the sink turned around and smiled._

" _M-mom?"_

xXx

I didn't realize it at first as I laid there, but there was a certain sense of calm that had seemed to settle in my bones, if only for a few short moments. As the white ceiling above my head came into view, so too did the bed and the walls, the rich cherry wood of furniture and the calm gentle blue of the walls. Briefly, I wondered if I had died, though I doubted my place in hell could be so comforting. There was no way, not after all this time.

Wincing, I slowly pushed myself up, rolling my shoulder. There was a bandage wrapped around it, the fabric trailing beneath a shirt that wasn't mine. Someone had changed me. After glancing around I found a small mirror in the corner, standing as I attempted to straighten myself.

"I look like shit," I muttered, index finger running atop a patch over my cheek.

No doubt it would scar, specks of red reminiscent to the streaks in my hair peaking toward the surface. I ran a hand through my hair, bits of dust falling free as I ruffled the tangled mess, fingers nearly getting caught in it. That's when reality set in, the tenderness of my scalp bringing me back, and my heart beat spiking.

"Shit!"

I looked around, quickly pulling open one of the drawers. Two more followed on the largest one, nothing inside. I moved to the nightstand in hopes of finding something that might give me a bit more clarity, but all that lay inside was an old leather-bound bible. Scoffing, I tossed it on the bed, ducking down. I found a pair of slippers hiding. It seemed to be as good as I was going to get, quickly pulling open the door.

The hall was empty, no sounds of footsteps shuffling or that of random chatter. Perhaps this was my chance to get away. With that in mind, I crept down the hall with my hand outstretched against the wall as I stayed close, ready to run if need be. Where ever this was, it was huge, halls spanning rooms upon rooms. Silently, I made it to the stairs, pedaling down them in quick succession. Once at the bottom I pulled the slippers free, clutching them to my chest.

"W-," I paused, back pressed against the closest pillar.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as a man went by, his hair thick and ruffled. From the back, I could tell he had muscle, his shoulders bare and exposed to the lights. He stopped then, head tilting upwards, sniffing the air. I stared openly for a moment as the muscles in his neck twitched before reality hit me, the curse leaving my lips as he turned sharply, stance shifting to chase. It was short lived though as the doors around us burst open and a bell reminiscent to one in school sounded above our heads. My eyes went wide as kids of all ages flooded the halls and I was thrown back a few years.

The last time that I was in a school, I ended up killing someone. It hadn't been on purpose. Kenton was only trying to help. He was the only one that had tried to help.

xXx

 _I'd finished things with Mr. Kenton and headed on my way, not wanting to bother with anything else. I appreciated his words, I really did, but I didn't feel like that kind of life was possible for me. I've done too much to warrant something as simple and normal as that. The idea itself scared me, grating at my anxiety. I didn't know if I could even do something like that._

 _Before I realized what had happened though, I was being pushed to the ground, the asphalt slicing at my hands and knees as I caught myself. My head had touched the ground though for a brief second and I felt the blood welling at the very edge of my skin._

" _You're payin' for a new one!"_

 _I was confused until something thudded in front of me, rolling along the ground in a misshapen mess. Letting my eyes focus, I saw that it was the football from earlier. I felt the color drain from my face momentarily, before gasping for air. I'd been sent onto my back, arms curled around my abdomen. Pain erupted there from where one of them had kicked me, my muscles twitching something awful. They just laughed._

" _Guys, is it really worth it?"_

 _I let my eyes trail toward the voice. It was one of the younger boys in the group. I think his name was Steve. He was a freshman that I'd seen in passing along with in my gym class. The mere thought of that class made me cringe._

" _Shut up, pipsqueak! This is between me and her!"_

" _Johnathon, just stop it!" Steve snapped, watching as the other kicked me again._

 _The other two laughed as they apparently got some sort of sick amusement out of it, before one of them joined in, catching my chin in the process. I saw stars for a moment as my head snapped to the side. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My mind was screaming at me, screaming out as I looked for help. I found none._

" _She's a freak, its what she gets. Just like that little shit from last week!"_

 _I felt something snap inside of me as I heard this, anger slowly bubbling up inside of me as he kicked me again. He did it again and again, foot colliding with my stomach and chasing the air from my lungs. It didn't bother me anymore as my heart began pounding painfully in my ears. My chest hurt and I could feel my hands shake. A strange warmth was slowly rolling over me, the tips of my fingers tingling. For a moment, I thought I was seeing red, blinking my eyes as I tried to pull myself together. I couldn't think straight as I looked down at my hands. They were glowing red, sparking static almost._

" _Guys, stop it!" Steve yelled._

" _Hey! What's going on here!?"_

" _Mr. Kenton?"_

 _They almost didn't stop, not until they saw what was happening._

xXx

I gasped as my shoulder was clipped, hands sparking. I swallowed thickly as my eyes darted around, liquid filling at the edges, briefly locking my gaze with the strange man that had turned toward me. He said something, but I didn't quite hear it, my legs acting on their own as I pressed passed the kids leaving what I now assumed to be classrooms.

"Hey! Wait! Kid!"

I pushed forward, looking for a way out, the occasional window hinting at the world outside. Hurriedly, I turned a corner, fingers flexing. I couldn't let something happen while I was inside. I couldn't have something like that on my conscience again. It hadn't sparked as bad as it normally did yet, but I couldn't sit around and wait for it to happen. Fear was the fuel for my powers, same as anger or hurt, they all did the trick. Any high ranking emotion seemed to kick them into overdrive which spelled disaster more times than not.

"Move!"

I slid slightly as I cut another corner, weaving between people while trying not to touch anyone. I could still hear him behind me, boots pounding.

"Wait!"

No, I was not going to wait.

"Ooff!"

I grunted as I made my way out the front door. No sooner had I set foot outside I found myself ramming into the front of someone, the force nearly knocking me on my ass, before strong hands reached forward and clasped my wrists. I trembled as they sparked, fingertips glowing red as it spiderwebbed along the back of my hands. The veins always followed behind, riding out the rollercoaster every time, before running back for another round.

"Easy…"

The voice was clipped; tired. I had no memory of him as I stared outwardly, his eyes covered by ruby lenses. His hair hinted at ginger, the locks dark and clipped loose, but short toward the back. He had to be at least 6 foot as he stood before me with a frown on his face.

"P-please, you need to let go," I urged, trying in vain to pull myself loose.

"Scott."

I turned, tears in my eyes as the other man caught up, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. One of the perks to my strange ability was an accelerated speed, something that I'd come to realize a couple years back. I mean, it wasn't excessive or anything, but it helped me move quicker. It also increased my chances of outrunning people.

"Logan," Scott greeted, hands still wrapped tightly around my wrists.

"Please!" I begged. "I can't be here!"

I was becoming frantic, heart pounding. It was beating in my ears loud and clear like a hammer. Despite being stopped though, I couldn't seem to regain myself, eyes shifting and darting from place to place. I couldn't be here. Why couldn't they understand that? I needed to leave. I needed to leave before something happened. Before I did something I couldn't undo. Before I hurt someone.

"Hey, you're safe here, alright?" Logan said.

"You don't understand!" I screamed, drawing the attention of a few nearby students, before another adult came to hurry them off. "Please!" I begged, energy cracking before he finally let go.

I barely made it into the courtyard as I brushed by him, singeing his jacket, the other following behind. I tried to regain hold of my breathing as I fell to my knees. It just seemed to bubble up inside me. It was hot and scorching, a tearing sensation as it crackled along my arm. There were a few pops and then a cloud of smoke as the energy seemed to fizzle out in front of my eyes.

"Wha…"

I looked down at my hands, confusion written across my face. This was the first time it hadn't turned into a mess. I turned my hands this way and that as I sat barefoot on the grass. It had just fizzled out. It never fizzled out. Not like that. It was like I used a bit of energy and then bam. That was it.

"How…?"

"Well, I guess that means the serum is still working."

I turned toward 'Scott'. His tone was blunt as he stood there against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. The other, 'Logan', stood not too far before slowly making his way forward. He raised his hands, one at either side of his head in surrender. His footing was slow. No doubt he thought that I'd try to run again. I didn't blame him though. I should have run.

"Wait, what serum?"

I narrowed my eyes at the man as I looked between the two of them. Scott didn't say a word, merely looking at Logan. The man in question now stood a mere two feet from me, hands still raised in surrender.

"What serum?" I asked again.

I wasn't going to ask a third time, pushing myself up and about another three feet away from the strange men.

"It's not important," Scott shrugged, turning back toward the _school_.

At least I think it's a school.

"Then where am I?"

xXx

"Then where am I?"

That had been my first real question since waking up, the first thing that would actually make a difference. It had been obvious that I wasn't in Oklahoma anymore. It was colder here. The air didn't seem as dry either, despite the chill that still ran along my spine. It was also the only question that I had to ask once apparently as I saw them straighten up slightly, muscles tensing.

"New York."

"A school."

The words were spoken simultaneously and my mind had a hard time separating them for a moment, both just as vague and blunt. New York, that stood out though. Where, in New York, I had no clue. Suddenly, the severity of the situation seemed to kick in, my brain trying to catch up the rest of the way.

"New Yo… What!?" I snapped, eyes wide as I realized just how far away from home I was.

I had never been in New York. The majority of my life had been spent in Oklahoma. That wasn't to say that I hadn't thought about leaving the state. In fact, I had a couple of times due to my particular skill set. I'd also gone because at one point I had wanted a change of scenery. It was tempting, the glow of a new life on the horizon. I never did manage to pull through though, always backing out at the last minute. I really wasn't sure why, after all, there was nothing left for me, no matter how many times I'd bounced round. I'd out toward the west side near Waynoka and as far down as Durant near the Red River and Texas line. It wasn't like I had family, the ones around me barely being seen as friends.

Friends. Yeah, I saw rather quickly where that had gotten me. Lyko, Veil, Seth. Seth was a dirty bastard. They were all dirty. Ruthless fakes that played to their own goals. Damn the ones that mattered, the innocent, the lives lost. They just didn't care. No one ever seemed to care about what was right anymore, not if it meant getting what they wanted.

I could feel my anger slowly beginning to boil once more. The whole team had led me into a trap, setting me up, knowing full well the volatility of my powers. They knew where they were, the people that were there. It hadn't been far from the children's hospital either, the building standing nearly a block away. Yeah, it was a little run down, but that was beside the point. I never truly realized just how driven they were to their own goals, how careless, inhumane. Was Seth really looking to make that kind of statement of our kind?

"I'm sorry."

My eyes snapped upward at the sudden arrival, hands trembling as red cracked at my fingertips before fizzling away.

"Professor!" Scott exclaimed, moving to block him from my vision.

The man in question merely raised a hand, halting him in his tracks.

"It's alright, Scott," he assured him, wheeling forward.

A wheel car. He moved further, wheels gliding effortlessly atop the ground, grass crunching beneath its weight. Vaguely, I remembered his face. It was clean shaven, the blue suit he wore pressed and neat, same with the vest beneath it, tie tucked into place.

"I'm sure you are wondering what happened and how you came to be here."

It was more of a statement than a question as he spoke, quickly continuing as the other two stood close by, ready to move at a moments notice. It was almost comical as the near ginger stood there, arms crossed tightly. He was good looking I'll admit, but the near constipated look on his face killed it.

"Is something funny?" I asked, raising a brow in question at the man's suddenly stifled laughter.

I hadn't realized that I'd done anything remotely amusing. People had told me that at times I had a rather dry or morbid sense of humor. I didn't think so. Despite that, I couldn't imagine how trying to find out what was going on could be conceived as funny.

"My apologies, Miss Conners."

"How do you…"

I watched as his back straightened, the humor gone. Suddenly, the situation had changed, posture following. The others soon matched and the look of constipation on Scott's face vanished, if only for a moment.

"I know a great many things my dear," the _Professor_ started. "Though there are also a great many things that I do not know. Like how you had found yourself within the group you were previously a part of."

I froze, attempting to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in the back of my throat. I could feel it sitting there, heavy and weighted, nearly clogging my airway. I suddenly felt small beneath the man's eyes, guilty even as my mind worked for an answer that I didn't have. It wasn't something so readily available. It wasn't something explainable either. Not really. How was one to explain such a twisted thing?

"I realize though, that is not who you are."

"What?"

"Why don't we go inside and discuss things?" he suggested, gesturing back toward the doors I'd escaped through, the handle nearly charred in my haste. "I'm sure you'd prefer some… warmer attire?"

 **Alright everyone, that was chapter 3. I really hope you guys are liking it so far. As I've said, a lot of things are going to be changed. I still plan to keep the strong bond intact that she ends up having with Logan. I believe that was important for both characters, even though there is now a change in age, but as they say, family is what you make it. I also know you guys are probably wondering, "Where's Gambit?". Don't worry, we'll be seeing him soon. Their meeting is going to be different than in the original. More realistic and likely relateable. That's my hope anyway. Chapters will also become longer as well. Let the fun begin! Also, thanks Dawn Racer for the encouragement!**


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